Ski resort · Finland
Best time to visit Saariselkä
The colour shows how good it gets. Tap a card to see that kind of trip at its best time of year; your own preferences stay as they are.
The ski season in Saariselkä typically runs December–April, when there is snow on the ground and it is cold enough. For a visit without snow, the best time is July, with daytime temperatures around 19°C.
Saariselkä at a glance: warmest in July with daytime temperatures around 19°C and coolest in January (−9°C). The wettest month is July (80 mm) and the driest February (27 mm), with about 510 mm of rain a year. The sea is warmest in July (16°C). Sunniest in March.
Saariselkä
330 mThe climate in Saariselkä through the year
When to go
No month in Saariselkä reaches a good score (65 or more) with the default preferences. July comes closest with 51 out of 100. A typical July day reaches 19°C and the night falls to 9°C, with rain on about 17 days and clear sky 32 % of the time. The lowest score is in January (13), when days are cool at around −9°C.
Seasons and rain
The seasons are sharply different: a July day (19°C) is about 28 degrees warmer than a January day (−9°C). Nights typically drop below freezing in October–May. July is the wettest month with 80 mm and February the driest with 27 mm, out of about 510 mm a year. Snow typically lies on the ground in November–May, deepest in March (about 80 cm).
Sea and daylight
The sea stays cool all year: it peaks at 16°C in July and falls to 0°C in January. Saariselkä lies so far north that the sun does not set in June and it does not rise in December.
By type of trip
The best months change with what you want to do. Each of Eddigo’s trip types has its own preferred daytime temperature and its own weights for rain, humidity and sun. Saariselkä scores 65 or more in these months:
- Cooler weather (10–20 °C): May–September, up to 79
- Skiing: snow cover and cold enough in December–April
How it compares
Of the 26 destinations Eddigo covers in Finland, Saariselkä is the coolest over the year and the 2nd driest. It has 0 months with a good score, against 2 for a typical destination in the country. In July, when Saariselkä scores 51, Levi (128 km away) scores 60 and Ylläs (164 km away) scores 61. See where to go in July for the best destinations that month.
Month by month
| Month | Score | Day | Night | Sea | Rain | Wet days (≥ 1 mm) | Sun | Daylight | Feels like |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 13 | −9° | −18° | 0° | 29 mm | 11 | 21 % | 3 h | Freezing, snowy and grey · ski conditions |
| February | 15 | −9° | −17° | 0° | 27 mm | 10 | 31 % | 8 h | Freezing and snowy · ski conditions |
| March | 21 | −3° | −14° | 0° | 27 mm | 9 | 35 % | 12 h | Cold and snowy · ski conditions |
| April | 27 | 3° | −7° | 0° | 28 mm | 9 | 35 % | 16 h | Cold and snowy · ski conditions |
| May | 22 | 9° | −1° | 0° | 42 mm | 11 | 33 % | 21 h | Chilly and showery |
| June | 35 | 16° | 5° | 5° | 57 mm | 13 | 29 % | 24 h | Mild and showery |
| July | 51 | 19° | 9° | 16° | 80 mm | 14 | 32 % | 24 h | Pleasantly warm and showery |
| August | 38 | 16° | 6° | 15° | 64 mm | 13 | 28 % | 17 h | Mild and showery |
| September | 16 | 10° | 2° | 10° | 50 mm | 13 | 25 % | 13 h | Chilly, rainy and grey |
| October | 14 | 2° | −4° | 5° | 42 mm | 12 | 22 % | 9 h | Cold, snowy and grey |
| November | 13 | −4° | −11° | 1° | 31 mm | 11 | 20 % | 4 h | Cold, snowy and grey |
| December | 15 | −7° | −15° | 0° | 33 mm | 12 | 29 % | 0 h | Freezing and snowy · ski conditions |
The score (0–100) is calculated from a range of variables, and changes with your preferences.
Climate averages 2016–2025 (ERA5, CRU TS). Sea temperature from ERA5. Not a forecast. Elevation: 330 m. Coordinates: 68.42, 27.42.